Paper or Plastic: Three Approaches To Sustainable Packaging

Take a moment and try to remember everything you threw in the trash this week. Go ahead, try it! Statistics suggest that at least 65 percent of your household's trash comes from packaging. Now factor in your neighbors, city, state, and country.

If you can't quite do the math on that, don't worry, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has already done it for you. According to the EPA, Americans produce nearly 80 million tons of waste per year in packaging alone- the equivalent of 200 Empire State Buildings.

When landfilled or incinerated, it becomes pollution, poisoning the environment, air, soil, and water, and poses health risks to people and wildlife. Packaging waste is the number one contributor to plastic pollution in our oceans, and at current rates, it's projected to exceed the weight of all the fish on our planet by 2050.

Unfortunately, the food and beverage (F&B) industry is a big part of the problem, but there's good news to be found here, too. As some of the most significant contributors of packaging waste, F&B brands can play a massive role in making a difference, and truth be told, it's also our responsibility to try.

The sweeping decision for brands to do away with plastic straws in 2018 was just the beginning. Consumer packaging in the beverage world includes everything from the rings around soda cans and bottles to the containers themselves, their labels and closures, and any materials by which they are shipped and stored.

Rising consumer awareness of the impact of product packaging on ongoing environmental issues, like food and material waste, pollution, and climate change, has made sustainability a significant motivator for consumer purchase decisions.

To align with this mission, your beverage's packaging should support your drink and business and reduce negative environmental impact. Smart packaging decisions require thoughtful consideration of the various elements involved in packaging a beverage product and the sustainable alternatives available.

Here are three approaches to achieving more sustainable drink packaging:

1. Choose the most efficiently recycled packaging materials.

Not all packaging materials are created equally. Take plastic, for example. While not all plastics are necessarily recyclable, many utilized in the beverage industry can be. Plastics are assigned across seven categories based on their Resin Identification Codes (RIC), distinguished by the temperature at which the material has been heated. This numerical classification can tell you what type of plastic you're dealing with and whether it's recyclable.

PET (or polyethylene terephthalate) bottles are clear, strong, lightweight, and 100 percent recyclable plastic; however, there is a limit to how many times this material can be recycled before degrading substantially in quality, two to three times, to be specific. This happens because every time PET plastic is recycled, its polymer chain grows shorter, and even then, additional "virgin" material needs to be added to make it durable enough to go back into the market. In other words, "recycled" plastic may not be entirely reusable material.

This is a big reason why other highly recyclable materials are considered much more sustainable drink packaging options. Glass and metal (usually aluminum) can be recycled indefinitely without sacrificing quality or durability and adding additional virgin material.

Again, there's always a tradeoff: plastic is lightweight and durable, while glass is heavy and delicate, making shipping challenging. Cans offer a great balance of desirable qualities for drink packaging and sustainability. Still, ongoing supply chain issues have (at least for now) made it difficult for beverage companies to obtain them reliably.

2. Dedicate some space on your label to educate your consumers.

At this point, you should know that the packaging materials you choose have a significant impact. The easiest products to recycle are generally those made from a single, recyclable material; of course, the onus still lies with the consumer to choose to recycle the product. This is where investing in consumer awareness and education can be influential!

Brands can help by bringing attention to the recyclability of their products' packaging and making the extra effort to tell consumers exactly how to do it. In fact, it's in their best interest to do so. According to Mintel's Global Packaging Trends 2019 report, it is becoming increasingly common for consumers to request the ability to recycle, and they are interested in understanding how the recycling process works. This is excellent news for beverage brands that are serious about sustainability!

Coca-Cola Co., for example, recently introduced the standardized labeling system "How2Recycle" across packaging for its DASANI products. Walmart, Target, Nestle, and General Mills have also utilized this addition, which is designed to educate and encourage consumers to recycle a product's packaging materials after use.

3. Leverage sustainability in your product's marketing and/or brand.

Why not make environmentalism a pillar of your brand that you are known for? Companies pairing sustainable drink packaging initiatives with thoughtful consumer education and marketing have successfully generated meaningful change without sacrificing their bottom line.

Boxed Water Is Better, founded in 2009, has a brand identity entirely focused on the company's commitment to sustainability. As the name suggests, their mission is to offer the most environmentally friendly alternative to plastic water bottles on the market.

Their purified, mineral-free water is packaged in a 100-percent recyclable, almost entirely plant-based carton. The packaging comprises 75 percent FSC-certified paper and 5 percent aluminum with a protective plastic film lining. Even their closure is plant-based!

Not only has the guilt-free box design allowed them to attract eco-conscious consumers to their brand while substantially reducing their carbon footprint, but it has also made shipping more logistically and financially efficient. For every 26 trucks required to ship plastic water bottles, only one truck is needed to transport the same number of Boxed Water products. This way, everyone wins!

Whether you choose to utilize one of these approaches or all three, taking steps to provide more sustainable drink packaging should be a priority for any beverage brand- and it doesn't have to be detrimental to your business! We hope we've shown you that you can change the world and Change What the World is Drinking™.

If you have a great drink idea, Flavorman can help you bring it to life! To get started, fill out this web form or call (502) 273-5214.